1. Maddy
MADDY
My mom won’t shut up about her new boyfriend. I just found out an hour ago that I need to meet him, which only makes me more annoyed.
Now, we’re in the cab, on the way to the restaurant we’re having lunch at, and that’s torture enough. Do I also need his whole biography, including his love for lemon pie?
“He won’t eat anything with sugar. No cookies or cakes, I swear, he’s so healthy. Which you know, is hard for me because I’ve got such a sweet tooth!” Mom cracks up as she talks.
The driver eyes us.
He’s either a sugar lover and is judging Mom’s taste in men, or we’re being too loud.
“I managed to compromise on lemon pie, though,” Mom continues, swinging her hand as she talks.
“He tried it, and he loved it. Obsessed is understating it, really. He says it’s because lemon in itself is healthy, so it’s the only time he allows his brain to cheat logic. Rich in vitamin C, he calls it.”
Mom’s eyes are shining. That’s how I know I’ve lost her.
She’s deep into the web of Lucas A’gosto, or whatever his name is.
She’s talked about him a few times, and they’ve been going out for three months. I still don’t understand why I need to meet him, though. This won’t last. I don’t want her to waste energy on him.
The only thing that’ll happen is she’ll get her heart broken, it’ll hurt, and then I’ll hurt.
Because if something hurts my mother, it hurts me ten times more. I don’t make the rules; that’s how it is.
I used to be Daddy’s little girl, but that was before the bastard left us when I was nine.
“For a better life,” was his pathetic excuse. As if Mom and I were not good enough for him. He had to, “Put myself first, Little Bear. I’m sure someday you’ll understand. I still love you, but I’m not ready to commit to this life yet.”
Well, he should have left when I was a baby if he didn’t want to commit. I don’t know what took him so long.
It only proves my theory that men’s brains take way longer than women’s to develop. Then, it makes sense.
We don’t need him anyway. Ever since, I’ve been a mama’s girl, and I’m proud of that.
My mom taught me everything I know. And she taught me to be an independent woman, to not rely on men.
So, I really don’t understand this bullshit she’s feeding me now. She’s contradicting herself.
“Mom.” I turn to face her and press my hands onto her shoulders. “Breathe.”
She laughs. “What do you mean?”
“You really need to stop hyping this man up,” I say.
Her face falters. Her shoulders, too, flattening under my hands. “I’m not hyping him up. I want you to be excited about him. He’s going to be your new father.”
Huh…what? “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mom. He’s not.”
She frowns, her perfectly manicured blonde brows perched at the center of her forehead. “Don’t you want this, baby? I know you won’t admit it. But I also know deep down you miss your father and having a male figure in your life.”
“You’re the one who taught me that men lie and cheat and how we can’t trust them.”
“I know, baby. But people make mistakes, and I did, too. He really is different.”
“We’re here,” the taxi driver announces, bringing back Mom’s attention as he stops the car.
I stare out the window, at the row of restaurants in front of us. Not the one we’re supposed to meet at.
We’re a couple of blocks away from it.
Right. Because we can’t afford to take a full trip in a cab. Not with Mom’s waitress salary.
Especially since we had to travel to a neighboring town.
Mom pays the taxi driver and dusts off her sky-blue dress before opening the door.
“Let’s go, darling.” She stares at her phone. “We’re late.”
“I’d be fine staying here, really,” I say.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She drags me out of the taxi and fixes my dress, too.
It’s a long pink lace dress, and fancier than what I’m used to wearing. I’m usually way more casual with my style, and I pick darker colors. But Mom wanted to give Lucas a good impression, so she picked it out for me from a thrift shop. It’s supposed to be from a famous designer brand.
Paired with the pink flats, and my long, brown, pink-streaked hair pulled back, it makes me feel unlike myself. I’m putting up an act for a man I don’t even like.
But I remain quiet and follow Mom through the loud streets of New Jersey, her steps quickening with every minute that goes by. I know there’s more than love, more than how amazing a person this man is. There has to be.
There’s no way Mom’s falling for someone this easily again.
As far as I’ve heard, Lucas A’gosto is a successful businessman. I don’t know what kind of business he does, but his life is way fancier than ours. Like the restaurant we’re meeting at.
I’m certain part of the reason Mom’s pushing me to meet him is this man’s about to change our lives.
“How do you know this one will last?” I ask her, catching up with her as we cross one block.
No one ever has.
Mom scoffs. “Have a little faith in your mother, won’t you?”
“Oh, I do. You’re amazing, Mom. It’s him I don’t trust.”
“Well, you should. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore, Maddy.”
“What do you mean?”
Mom stops walking, turning to me. “Okay, this was supposed to be a surprise over lunch, but I can’t hold it back anymore.” She opens the small, white handbag slung over her shoulder and takes out something.
Fidgeting with her fingers for a moment, she extends her hand my way.
“Ta-dah!”
A golden ring with the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen is on her finger.
“We’re engaged.”
“What in the world?”
I want to be happy for her, I want to congratulate her, but a sour taste gathers at the back of my throat.
I can’t do it.
I fold my arms. “You got engaged without telling me?”
Mom blushes, staring at her ring finger. “I had to follow my heart,” she says. “And I didn’t tell you before, because I knew you would react like this.”
“So you thought surprising me at lunch was going to be better?”
“No.” Her expression changes and she crosses her arms. “But I at least thought you would have kept this attitude to yourself. This is not up for discussion, Maddy.”
I sigh. “An engagement can be broken off.”
“Darling…” Mom softens again. She can’t be mad at me. Not when she knows what we’ve been through. “I know you’re hesitant about this. But if he weren’t serious about me, he wouldn’t have asked to meet you.”
“He did?”
I assumed Mom was the one who pushed for our fateful meeting, getting too excited about a man again and wanting me to meet him.
“Yes. And he wouldn’t if he was planning to leave, would he?”
I shrug. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Being with Lucas is an opportunity of a lifetime. Our lives will change, honey. We won’t have to live on ramen noodles or paycheck to paycheck. I want the best for us. Plus, he loves me.”
I take a few moments to process it. There it is, proof that there’s more to this than love.
“Okay. If you’re happy, I’m happy, Mom.”
The rest of the walk to the restaurant is silent. The streets are loud and busy while my thoughts suffocate me.
How can I trust that this man is good enough for Mom? That he won’t be like any of the others that have been in and out of her life?
I can’t blame Mom for wanting love, for craving it. Deep down, I know part of me wonders about it, too.
What it’s like to have someone who loves you, wants you, needs you. Someone who stays.
The financial security is important for her, too. We’ve struggled all our lives.
“Here it is.” Mom halts to a stop.
I turn to my left and face the big building in front of us.
The restaurant is majestic. Huge, really. Taking up at least half of the block. There are two floors, and the walls are glass from the outside.
As I stare at the see-through glass on the first floor, I catch a glimpse of someone.
A guy around my age sits in front of an older man with black hair and hints of gray, who has his back to me.
The handsome stranger has ink-colored hair, a bit messy but short, and the deepest blue eyes I’ve seen. He’s wearing a white shirt, and looks stiff as he sips from a glass of water.
My heart almost catches in my throat when his gaze meets mine for a fraction of a second.
The hair at the back of my neck stands, goose bumps expanding throughout my arms.
I take a deep breath and look down.
This is fine. I’m fine.
I can’t lie, being distracted by a good-looking stranger is nice, despite the almost heart attack I had when he caught me ogling. He looks like danger. I wouldn’t mind him giving me a taste.
He might as well be in the same situation I am. Waiting to meet his dad’s girlfriend.
There’s visible tension in his body, too.
“Oh, there he is. My lovely husband-to-be.” Mom points at someone inside the restaurant.
“Where?” I ask.
“Right there.”
Is she—is she really pointing at who I think she’s pointing at?
“The man with his back to us, sitting with the young dark-haired guy in the white shirt?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know that’s him? You can’t even see his face.” And a dozen more people are sitting. But of course, Mom picks the one I was staring at.
“I would recognize the back of that head anywhere. That’s him. That’s my Lucas.”
That brings me to the question… “And who is that guy with him?”
“Oh.” Mom giggles. “Maddy! I told you, haven’t I?”
“Told me what?”
“That Lucas has a son.”
I remember her mentioning it during one of our chitchats before, but I don’t like where this is going.
“Y-yeah?”
“That’s him. That’s Kayden.”
“What?”
“That’s your new brother, baby.”
What the hell?
I hiccup, bringing my hands to my mouth. It’s surprise after surprise today from my mom.
First the engagement, now this.
I thought Kayden was a freaking child when she mentioned him. A kindergartener at best. She said he was ‘cute and a bit naughty.’ I remember now.
I did not expect him to be grown up and to look like that.
“Are you okay there, sweetie?” Mom puts a hand on my shoulder.
I nod, pulling myself together. “I’m just a bit surprised, that’s all. I thought Kayden would be…younger.”
“Oh, no. You must have misunderstood me. He’s seventeen, a year older than you.”
“O—kay.”
Mom giggles. “I’m sure you’ll get along. Let’s go meet them, hurry up.”
She doesn’t wait for me before rushing to the door.
I trace behind her, unable to keep my eyes away from the table, from Kayden.
Only one thought runs through my mind. I have a gut feeling about this guy.
He’s going to ruin my life.